Mike Hoover Wins 8-Ball Tournament Sunday
IRONWOOD, MI - Monday, November 15, 2010 - Mike Hoover, Ironwood, (pictured above right) defeated Jason Cihlar, Mercer, (pictured above left) to win the final match of Sunday's Knight Club Billiards Singles 8-Ball Tournament. Hoover swept the winner's side of the double elimination tournament, sending Cihlar to the loser's bracket in the quarter-finals. Cihlar worked his way back to the winner's bracket by defeating Mat Ratkowski (not pictured, third place winner) to take on Hoover once again in the finals. Since Hoover was yet to lose a match, Cihlar needed to win two matches in order to win the tournament.
Cihlar managed to win the first match of the finals, but Hoover proved to be too strong in the second match. The game played during the tournament is BCA Rules Singles 8-Ball. The races were to 4 games per match, double elimination (each player needed to lose twice to be eliminated from the tournament). The tournament began at 2:00 PM, however the Knight Club opened at noon to allow players a chance to warm up and practice.
Tournament Directors McKenzie Ratkowski and Alan Traczyk told the Chronicle that tournaments would be played troughout the winter. Play is open to any and all amateur players without any age restriction and regardless of sex.
Traczyk, who co-manages the pool hall with Ratkowski said, "Our tournaments are a lot of fun. It's not really all about winning, it's more about having fun. The tournaments attract males and females alikes, and we generally get a good mix of ages and player abilities. Many times league players sign up for our tournaments expecting to walk away with an easy win. It isn't all that unusual for them to be eliminated by our regular younger players."
Ratkowski told us, "Hey, these tournaments are a blast! Everybody has a great time. A lot of players sign up without really expecting to advance. There's no such thing as an easy match in our tournaments. We have some very competitive players who are not only anxious to win, they're out to have a good time. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon -- can you?"
The Knight Club Billiards & Arcade is a non-smoking, non-alcohol, drug free, safe and family-friendly center. It is generally open from 6:00 PM to midnight nightly. It is located in Downtown Ironwood and is one of the oldest and longest continually operating businesses in Ironwood. It was originally opened as "Subway Recreation" in 1950 by Sam and Mike Khoury. In 1974, the Khoury's sold the business to Gary Colasacco. Colasacco ran the business on Aurora Street and later relocated to McLeod Avenue in the old Ray Smeeth building. In 1978 Jim Albert purchased new Brunswick Gold Crown III tables and reopened "Subway Recreation."
In the early '80's Attorney Dennis Cossi purchased a liquor license and operated the business as a tavern/billiard room -- The Side Pocket. After several months of operation, Cossi decided to close the tavern and move the license to Pizza King Joe's on Silver Street in Ironwood. Albert reopened the pool hall as "The Knight Club Billiards and Arcade."
The pool hall features four Gold Crown III professional regulation 4-1/2'x9' pool tables; one Gold Crown III professional regulation 5'x10' snooker table; a seven foot coin-op table; a dart board; video games; game tables and board games of all types; a full kitchen to satisfy your hunger; a cozy service counter to pick up your favorite non-alcoholic beverage or snack; and a relaxing lounge for friendly conversations (and for doing homework). Tutor Steve Frank is generally available to help students with their math and science homework.
The Knight Club offers pool lessons by a certified instructor; custom cue stick and billiard accessory sales; and cue repairs.
